Purple-stemmed aster is native to North America, found in marshy habitats.

Identification: Although these asters are named for their purple
stems, they aren’t always purple, especially on younger plants. Stems are hairy and rough to the touch.
Plants are 3-8' (1-2.5 m) tall, rarely up to 9½' (3 m), with stout stems up to ⅜" (1.1 cm)
around.
Leaves are oblanceolate, with small teeth that are usually widely spaced and may not be present,
and bases that clasp the stems. They are up to 6" (15 cm) long and 2½" (7.0 cm) wide,
with an easily visible central vein.
Flowerheads are openly
branched panicles. Individual flowers are ⅞-1½" (2.5-3.8 cm) across, and pale to dark blue-purple,
sometimes almost white, with 20-50 rays. Central discs are yellow or cream-colored, with 30-50 tiny florets
(as many as 90), aging to pink or purple. They
appear August through November.